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What do you think is the worst sounding musical instrument?
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Like if it was put on a track you would want to turn the volume down kind of sound?
For me it’s the recorder, I have never even heard a professional play it with a nice sound.
Not to be mixed up with the penny whistle that does sound better.
How about you? |
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I can't pick a single one.
But get most instruments to their outer limits and things go funky.
Take the clarinet (which I play). Even a professional, if you get much above the C above the treble clef, it's just unpleasant. It's impressive (particularly those top few notes) but it just sounds awful |
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By *phroditeWoman
over a year ago
(She/ her) in Sensualityland |
"Ukulele - I hate the sound of this instrument. Hey Soul Sister ruined this instrument for me. "
Take a look at Israel Kamakawiwo?ole playing the ukulele - it is folk music and hauntingly beautiful and authentic.  |
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By *phroditeWoman
over a year ago
(She/ her) in Sensualityland |
I absolutely love bagpipes - they reflect the at times eerie landscape in Scotland to me.
I cannot think of one instrument that does not have its place in the right context to be honest - I listen to a lot of music from different eras, continents and countries. From classical to modern, folk to jazz - there is no music that I do not find beautiful some of the time - hence I could not single out an instrument.
Perhaps I am strange  |
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"... although I think it's Vivaldi's Winter, which starts with the bassoon played unbelievably high.
That's eerily beautiful, although I imagine technically challenging "
I think you’ll find Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is for strings only!
However, if you want an eerily beautiful high beginning to a work on the bassoon, it’s hard to think of a better example than the opening of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring! |
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"Like if it was put on a track you would want to turn the volume down kind of sound?
For me it’s the recorder, I have never even heard a professional play it with a nice sound.
Not to be mixed up with the penny whistle that does sound better.
How about you?"
In the right hands a recorder can sound magical, but it’s rare to hear I agree! |
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"When I was growing up our next door neighbour played the bagpipes every Sunday morning. I absolutely love them.
MrWho."
He would have been in the local A and E having them surgically removed if he was my neighbour and did that on Sunday mornings.... |
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"It has to be bagpipes....they are like chainsaw cutting through your skull. I physically cringe when I here them. "
Well, I believe the army used them in the 1800’s as a weapon of war - I may misremember the details but I’m pretty sure I’ve read that in Afghanistan we sent the Highland regiments’ bagpipers in front of the soldiers onto the battlefield in the expectation that the barbarian enemy would be terrified by the din and flee. I believe it actually worked! |
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Why the hatred towards bagpipes? Love a bit of pipe and drum from the Scots military units.
I think I'd go with gongs. As a drummer that may seem weird, but to me it's just a huge trash can noise, not really musical at all! |
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"I can't pick a single one.
But get most instruments to their outer limits and things go funky.
Take the clarinet (which I play). Even a professional, if you get much above the C above the treble clef, it's just unpleasant. It's impressive (particularly those top few notes) but it just sounds awful "
Yep, Acker Bilk murders it for me! To be honest, most clarinets to me sound like someone’s blowing through a bit of drainpipe! However, Jack Brymer was justifiably held as a master of the instrument and these days, the ex-principal of the LPO, Nicholas Carpenter, who also lives in Sussex, has to rank as the finest clarinettist I’ve ever heard. The quality of sound he produces is unbelievable!
Jazz clarinettists, with the obvious exceptions of Woody Herman and Benny Goodman, tend to have poor technique and consequently sound either like they’re playing a drainpipe or they’re strangling a cat… or even both! |
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"... although I think it's Vivaldi's Winter, which starts with the bassoon played unbelievably high.
That's eerily beautiful, although I imagine technically challenging
I think you’ll find Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is for strings only!
However, if you want an eerily beautiful high beginning to a work on the bassoon, it’s hard to think of a better example than the opening of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring! "
It might have been Stravinsky 
I remember the beginning in my head, although I've not heard it in years |
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"I can't pick a single one.
But get most instruments to their outer limits and things go funky.
Take the clarinet (which I play). Even a professional, if you get much above the C above the treble clef, it's just unpleasant. It's impressive (particularly those top few notes) but it just sounds awful
Yep, Acker Bilk murders it for me! To be honest, most clarinets to me sound like someone’s blowing through a bit of drainpipe! However, Jack Brymer was justifiably held as a master of the instrument and these days, the ex-principal of the LPO, Nicholas Carpenter, who also lives in Sussex, has to rank as the finest clarinettist I’ve ever heard. The quality of sound he produces is unbelievable!
Jazz clarinettists, with the obvious exceptions of Woody Herman and Benny Goodman, tend to have poor technique and consequently sound either like they’re playing a drainpipe or they’re strangling a cat… or even both! "
In the range of timbre possible with the clarinet, I much prefer drainpipe to animal cruelty  |
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"... although I think it's Vivaldi's Winter, which starts with the bassoon played unbelievably high.
That's eerily beautiful, although I imagine technically challenging
I think you’ll find Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is for strings only!
However, if you want an eerily beautiful high beginning to a work on the bassoon, it’s hard to think of a better example than the opening of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring!
It might have been Stravinsky
I remember the beginning in my head, although I've not heard it in years"
It’s most likely to have been that one. Other composers listening casually during rehearsals couldn’t figure out which instrument was playing, as the tone of the bassoon in that high register sounded so unfamiliar and more like other woodwind instruments. It’s regarded as a stroke of Stravinsky’s genius! There are a few other examples but that’s the most famous and obvious one! |
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"I can't pick a single one.
But get most instruments to their outer limits and things go funky.
Take the clarinet (which I play). Even a professional, if you get much above the C above the treble clef, it's just unpleasant. It's impressive (particularly those top few notes) but it just sounds awful
Yep, Acker Bilk murders it for me! To be honest, most clarinets to me sound like someone’s blowing through a bit of drainpipe! However, Jack Brymer was justifiably held as a master of the instrument and these days, the ex-principal of the LPO, Nicholas Carpenter, who also lives in Sussex, has to rank as the finest clarinettist I’ve ever heard. The quality of sound he produces is unbelievable!
Jazz clarinettists, with the obvious exceptions of Woody Herman and Benny Goodman, tend to have poor technique and consequently sound either like they’re playing a drainpipe or they’re strangling a cat… or even both!
In the range of timbre possible with the clarinet, I much prefer drainpipe to animal cruelty "
Me too! |
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"... although I think it's Vivaldi's Winter, which starts with the bassoon played unbelievably high.
That's eerily beautiful, although I imagine technically challenging
I think you’ll find Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is for strings only!
However, if you want an eerily beautiful high beginning to a work on the bassoon, it’s hard to think of a better example than the opening of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring!
It might have been Stravinsky
I remember the beginning in my head, although I've not heard it in years
It’s most likely to have been that one. Other composers listening casually during rehearsals couldn’t figure out which instrument was playing, as the tone of the bassoon in that high register sounded so unfamiliar and more like other woodwind instruments. It’s regarded as a stroke of Stravinsky’s genius! There are a few other examples but that’s the most famous and obvious one!"
Yes, that rings a bell - it was something I studied at school. It sprang to mind as "instrument way out of normal range but not vile". |
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OP - to be fair, most instruments have the potential to sound amazing in the right hands, and to sound earsplittingly horrible in the wrong ones! Orchestrally speaking, the oboe and the french horn are often held to be the hardest to play well and the easiest to play badly! But every instrument, even down to the humble shaker, needs a special technique to play it well. Unfretted strings are also painful to hear if the player isn‘t good and bad brass playing can get me running for cover!
I think the instrument I hear being played badly more than any other has to be the electric guitar, although, of course, as any other instrument, in the right hands, it can be magic! |
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"... although I think it's Vivaldi's Winter, which starts with the bassoon played unbelievably high.
That's eerily beautiful, although I imagine technically challenging
I think you’ll find Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is for strings only!
However, if you want an eerily beautiful high beginning to a work on the bassoon, it’s hard to think of a better example than the opening of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring!
It might have been Stravinsky
I remember the beginning in my head, although I've not heard it in years
It’s most likely to have been that one. Other composers listening casually during rehearsals couldn’t figure out which instrument was playing, as the tone of the bassoon in that high register sounded so unfamiliar and more like other woodwind instruments. It’s regarded as a stroke of Stravinsky’s genius! There are a few other examples but that’s the most famous and obvious one!
Yes, that rings a bell - it was something I studied at school. It sprang to mind as "instrument way out of normal range but not vile"."
Yep, it’s frequently on A-Level music syllabuses - it’s even on the EdExcel one at the moment! |
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"Recorders played by amateurs
Violins played by amateurs
Bagpipes... ...
°
...played by professional Polynesians?"
Bagpipes in general sound like a cat being squished 
Recorders played properly sound good, my Grandad could make a kid's tin whistle sound good. Violins (well made) played by someone who knows what they're doing also sound good. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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A recorder in the hands of an 8 year old girl, a slow death by way off 3 blind mice! Just brought my god daughter one, as revenge for the remote control police car with working sirens he got my boys 4 years ago. Revenge is a dish best served cold lol |
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"Recorders played by amateurs
"
Aren't recorders always played by amateurs? I've always thought they were a learning instrument rather than a "proper" musical instrument.
The kazoo gets my vote; I'm not sure it can even be called a musical instrument. I'm not a particularly musical person myself but I can fart better notes. |
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"Recorders played by amateurs
Aren't recorders always played by amateurs? I've always thought they were a learning instrument rather than a "proper" musical instrument.
The kazoo gets my vote; I'm not sure it can even be called a musical instrument. I'm not a particularly musical person myself but I can fart better notes."
No, I’ve known people who’ve had fine careers as professional recorder players and even my wife has played it professionally in the past. But generally the pros don’t use the cheap crap instruments you had in school. Properly crafted wooden recorders are surprisingly expensive and it’s not an easy instrument to play at a high level! Takes a lot of training and practice. I once met a chap who retired from a job in Holland as a professional recorder player in avant-garde experimental music groups there. He said the stress of performing at the expected level was immense and he was a very highly trained and experienced musician. |
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"Recorders played by amateurs
Aren't recorders always played by amateurs? I've always thought they were a learning instrument rather than a "proper" musical instrument.
The kazoo gets my vote; I'm not sure it can even be called a musical instrument. I'm not a particularly musical person myself but I can fart better notes.
No, I’ve known people who’ve had fine careers as professional recorder players and even my wife has played it professionally in the past. But generally the pros don’t use the cheap crap instruments you had in school. Properly crafted wooden recorders are surprisingly expensive and it’s not an easy instrument to play at a high level! Takes a lot of training and practice. I once met a chap who retired from a job in Holland as a professional recorder player in avant-garde experimental music groups there. He said the stress of performing at the expected level was immense and he was a very highly trained and experienced musician."
My Grandad could make a cheap recorder sound at least half decent! He could play any woodwind instrument and I now have most of his instruments here, wondering what I should do with them. |
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Actually, I’ll stick my neck out and vote for the washboard used by skiffle groups like Lonnie Donegan’s! What a riduculous concept! Just makes a silly non-descript noise. At least Rolf Harris’s wobble board sounded so silly everyone laughed! But the washboard - it’s like trying to make the sound of a drumroll for people who can’t do a drumroll on a thing that has little resonance! And the roll effect only lasts a second before you get to the end of the washboard and have to start all over again! Ridiculous thing! |
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"Recorders played by amateurs
Aren't recorders always played by amateurs? I've always thought they were a learning instrument rather than a "proper" musical instrument.
The kazoo gets my vote; I'm not sure it can even be called a musical instrument. I'm not a particularly musical person myself but I can fart better notes.
No, I’ve known people who’ve had fine careers as professional recorder players and even my wife has played it professionally in the past. But generally the pros don’t use the cheap crap instruments you had in school. Properly crafted wooden recorders are surprisingly expensive and it’s not an easy instrument to play at a high level! Takes a lot of training and practice. I once met a chap who retired from a job in Holland as a professional recorder player in avant-garde experimental music groups there. He said the stress of performing at the expected level was immense and he was a very highly trained and experienced musician.
My Grandad could make a cheap recorder sound at least half decent! He could play any woodwind instrument and I now have most of his instruments here, wondering what I should do with them."
Learn to play them yourself or sell them to people who can! |
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"Actually, I’ll stick my neck out and vote for the washboard used by skiffle groups like Lonnie Donegan’s! What a riduculous concept! Just makes a silly non-descript noise. At least Rolf Harris’s wobble board sounded so silly everyone laughed! But the washboard - it’s like trying to make the sound of a drumroll for people who can’t do a drumroll on a thing that has little resonance! And the roll effect only lasts a second before you get to the end of the washboard and have to start all over again! Ridiculous thing! "
But cheap for working class people trying to make music in post war UK! |
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"Sorry Scotland it has to be bagpipes.
Sorry Wales,It has to be...ermm..
What do you folks play??"
I'm English & i LOVE the pipes.
Played well of course, like any instrument theyre awful played poorly. |
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I'm sure teachers hand out those recorders & penny whistles for pure revenge on parents for sending our kids to school lol. Those fateful words "guess what I got at school today......" while the teacher laughs sadistically at home saying that'll slacken the bastards!
Bagpipes can be fantastic. Who can ever listen to You're the voice by John Farnham & not be blown away by the pipes bit? Makes your hairs stand on end does that! |
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A recorder when a child is learning to play it.
Also, when it’s played well the violin is beautiful, but not in my hands! In my hands it should be taken straight off me and put back in it’s case. Even cats having a screeching session give up, as they know they can’t compete with the ear piercing sounds I produce on it, haha xx |
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"The Stylophone.
Awful awful 'instrument'. Brutalistic and unpleasant sound, reverberating through your teeth and bones. It's an instrument of no purpose."
Especially if Roland Harris is playing it! (This joke only works if you can remember the 1970s ads)! |
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By *lynJMan
over a year ago
Morden |
"The Stylophone.
Awful awful 'instrument'. Brutalistic and unpleasant sound, reverberating through your teeth and bones. It's an instrument of no purpose.
Especially if Roland Harris is playing it! (This joke only works if you can remember the 1970s ads)!"
I think you mean Rolf Harris. |
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By *ryan...Man
over a year ago
1950's Original |
"The Stylophone.
Awful awful 'instrument'. Brutalistic and unpleasant sound, reverberating through your teeth and bones. It's an instrument of no purpose.
Especially if Roland Harris is playing it! (This joke only works if you can remember the 1970s ads)!
I think you mean Rolf Harris."
Or Roland Rat |
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By *ubal1Man
over a year ago
Newry Down |
The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler; long-departed, but a world-class practitioner who composed and played all of the music on the memorable film, Genevieve.
Each individual piece is precisely attuned to the particular film sequence.
The film is about two well heeled (wealthy) couples on the London to Brighton car run.
Typical British film of this era with Kenneth More, Kate Kendall, Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson with minor appearances by Joyce Grenfell, Reginald Beckwith, et al.
The two cars still exist: a Daracq and a Spyker.
But Larry Adler's superb harmonica (mouth organ) playing steals the show.
Finally, the very best harmonicas are made in Germany and are amazingly expensive!
|
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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago
Peterborough |
"The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler; long-departed, but a world-class practitioner who composed and played all of the music on the memorable film, Genevieve.
Each individual piece is precisely attuned to the particular film sequence.
The film is about two well heeled (wealthy) couples on the London to Brighton car run.
Typical British film of this era with Kenneth More, Kate Kendall, Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson with minor appearances by Joyce Grenfell, Reginald Beckwith, et al.
The two cars still exist: a Daracq and a Spyker.
But Larry Adler's superb harmonica (mouth organ) playing steals the show.
Finally, the very best harmonicas are made in Germany and are amazingly expensive!
"
Mark Kermode did his best when playing the theme from Midnight cowboy, when he and Simon mayo were co hosting music at the movies. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I absolutely love bagpipes - they reflect the at times eerie landscape in Scotland to me.
I cannot think of one instrument that does not have its place in the right context to be honest - I listen to a lot of music from different eras, continents and countries. From classical to modern, folk to jazz - there is no music that I do not find beautiful some of the time - hence I could not single out an instrument.
Perhaps I am strange "
I think you got that spot on actually
To the folk that dinna like bagpipes… PHILISTINES |
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"The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler; long-departed, but a world-class practitioner who composed and played all of the music on the memorable film, Genevieve.
Each individual piece is precisely attuned to the particular film sequence.
The film is about two well heeled (wealthy) couples on the London to Brighton car run.
Typical British film of this era with Kenneth More, Kate Kendall, Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson with minor appearances by Joyce Grenfell, Reginald Beckwith, et al.
The two cars still exist: a Daracq and a Spyker.
But Larry Adler's superb harmonica (mouth organ) playing steals the show.
Finally, the very best harmonicas are made in Germany and are amazingly expensive!
"
Don’t forget the amazing Toots Thielemans! |
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By *ubal1Man
over a year ago
Newry Down |
"The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler; long-departed, but a world-class practitioner who composed and played all of the music on the memorable film, Genevieve.
Each individual piece is precisely attuned to the particular film sequence.
The film is about two well heeled (wealthy) couples on the London to Brighton car run.
Typical British film of this era with Kenneth More, Kate Kendall, Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson with minor appearances by Joyce Grenfell, Reginald Beckwith, et al.
The two cars still exist: a Daracq and a Spyker.
But Larry Adler's superb harmonica (mouth organ) playing steals the show.
Finally, the very best harmonicas are made in Germany and are amazingly expensive!
Don’t forget the amazing Toots Thielemans! "
This is the first time I have ever heard this name; I will research his work tomorrow, when I am in Belfast. Thanks. |
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By *lynJMan
over a year ago
Morden |
"The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler; long-departed, but a world-class practitioner who composed and played all of the music on the memorable film, Genevieve.
Each individual piece is precisely attuned to the particular film sequence.
The film is about two well heeled (wealthy) couples on the London to Brighton car run.
Typical British film of this era with Kenneth More, Kate Kendall, Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson with minor appearances by Joyce Grenfell, Reginald Beckwith, et al.
The two cars still exist: a Daracq and a Spyker.
But Larry Adler's superb harmonica (mouth organ) playing steals the show.
Finally, the very best harmonicas are made in Germany and are amazingly expensive!
"
I don't think both couples we well heeled. The John Gregson/Dinah Sheridan couple have hardly any money. Certainly not enough to cover the wager should they lose.
Brilliant film though. |
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By *jfrenchMan
over a year ago
Stockport |
There is no such a thing as all instruments in the hands of a skilled musician can touch the whole world.
I have even heard an ensemble of recorders and they beautifully performed selected works of Ennio Morricone and were amazing!
I will say the cello is the saddest sounding instrument and 'happy' pieces tend not to work.
Conversely the ukulele is the happiest instrument so funeral marches tend not to dirge enough on them. |
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"The harmonica, otherwise known as the mouth organ; the vast majority of people who claim to be able to play one cannot, with one particularly notable exception: Larry Adler…..
"
Some bloke called Stevie Wonder pretty handy with them too- a very popular session musician with that instrument, such as on ‘I feel for you’ by Chaka Khan (which was actually written by Prince- dontchaknow! )  |
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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago
Peterborough |
"There is no such a thing as all instruments in the hands of a skilled musician can touch the whole world.
I have even heard an ensemble of recorders and they beautifully performed selected works of Ennio Morricone and were amazing!
I will say the cello is the saddest sounding instrument and 'happy' pieces tend not to work.
Conversely the ukulele is the happiest instrument so funeral marches tend not to dirge enough on them. "
The cello was use to serenade the eagle, over the lake in Airwolf, until the "firm" sent in one of their helicopters and spooked the poor bird. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Like if it was put on a track you would want to turn the volume down kind of sound?
For me it’s the recorder, I have never even heard a professional play it with a nice sound.
Not to be mixed up with the penny whistle that does sound better.
How about you?
In the right hands a recorder can sound magical, but it’s rare to hear I agree! "
Have such hands been sewn to the soloist's attire, so they can't pick it up in the first place! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I can't pick a single one.
But get most instruments to their outer limits and things go funky.
Take the clarinet (which I play). Even a professional, if you get much above the C above the treble clef, it's just unpleasant. It's impressive (particularly those top few notes) but it just sounds awful
Yep, Acker Bilk murders it for me! To be honest, most clarinets to me sound like someone’s blowing through a bit of drainpipe! However, Jack Brymer was justifiably held as a master of the instrument and these days, the ex-principal of the LPO, Nicholas Carpenter, who also lives in Sussex, has to rank as the finest clarinettist I’ve ever heard. The quality of sound he produces is unbelievable!
Jazz clarinettists, with the obvious exceptions of Woody Herman and Benny Goodman, tend to have poor technique and consequently sound either like they’re playing a drainpipe or they’re strangling a cat… or even both! "
Listen to Gilad Atzmon, he plays the clarinet and saxophone equally as well. Lousy accordionist though  |
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